Khem Birch, who transferred from Pitt after playing only 10 games of his freshman year, will resume his college basketball career at UNLV.

Birch, a 6-9 forward/center who was named McDonald’s All-American in high school, will be eligible for the Rebels at the end of the fall 2012 term.

“We are excited to have him in the program,” UNLV coach Dave Rice told the Las Vegas Review-Journal after Birch signed a scholarship agreement. “After getting to know him, it's obvious he is committed to working hard and developing his game. One of the things he is most excited about is our up-tempo style of play.”

Birch left Pitt although he was a starter. He was averaging 4.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 15 minutes per game. He is an excellent athlete and offers a game-changing defensive presence. Rice called Birch “a dominant defender.”

After leaving Pitt, Birch complained to CBS Sports that he had wanted to play forward but was having to operate at center for the Panthers. However, Birch currently lacks a face-up game to be well-suited for power forward in most college offenses.

According to the Review-Journal, UNLV has not had a McDonald’s All-American since center Elmore Spencer and forward Larry Johnson were members of the program in the early 1990s.